Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev

MOSCOW, March 20. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a government act introducing changes to the rules for distributing and granting subsidies for taking measures to render assistance in a voluntary relocation of compatriots who reside abroad to Russia, says a report placed on the Russian government's official website.

In particular, regional relocation programs, which are included in the State Program for Assistance in Relocation "shall be renamed into State Programs of the Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation, aimed at attaining the goals of the State Program".

Russia's Minitry of Regional Development, instead of the Finance Ministry, is determined to be the federal executive body responsible for distributing and granting subsidies.

"The frequency of granting subsidies is cut down to once a year, instead of twice a year," government analysts pointed out.

A priority right to an additional financing "shall be granted to those constituent entities of the Federation that exceeded targets as regards admission of participants in the State (relocation) Program".

Government analysts are confident that "the decisions made will enhance the effectiveness of granting subsidies for the implementation of regional state programs for relocation of compatriots".